The Sizesaurus: From Hectares to Decibels to Calories, a Witty Compendium of Measurements - Hardcover

A fun book about the measurements by which we define the world. Strauss is especially good when he tackles such issues as "What would Santa Clause have to do to deliver all his presents in one night", and in his "Measuring Macropedia" occupying the last half of the book, in which he provides nice graphical and tabular comparisons of the most frequently encountered for units of measurement. I suspect a better book could be written about the topic, but it appears to be the best such book in print at this time (early 1997). Recommended.

The world of measuring and measurement is covered in an excellent blend of math savvy and scientific insight. This examines how different measures are used and how people are challenged to understand how measurement affects lives. From measuring kinetic energy in sports to Richter's development of an earthquake measuring scale, this is filled with intriguing discussions and insights. -- Midwest Book Review